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Top 50 Dermatology Case Studies for Primary Care pp 85–90Cite as

Arthropod Bites

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Abstract

A 26-year-old male presented to clinic with bites of unknown origin. These were determined to most likely be arthropod bites, although the exact offending insect was not certain. Arthropod bites are very common and can cause a range of symptoms with varying degrees of severity. Most bites present as distinct papular lesions which can be painful, stinging, or pruritic. Patient history and time of year can provide helpful clues to narrow down the culprit bug. Regardless of origin, uncomplicated insect bites typically respond to treatment with topical corticosteroids. Oral antihistamines may be used as adjunctive therapy for patients who experience severe pruritus. In the case of indoor bug bites, it may be necessary to hire an exterminator to remove any infestations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Attending Mount Sinai Doctors/Beth Israel Medical Group-Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Danya Reich MD (Assistant Professor)

  2. School of Medicine Imperial College London, London, UK

    Corinna Eleni Psomadakis BA, MBBS

  3. Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Bobby Buka MD, JD (Medical Director Bobby Buka Dermatology Section Chief)

Authors
  1. Danya Reich MD
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  2. Corinna Eleni Psomadakis BA, MBBS
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  3. Bobby Buka MD, JD
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© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Reich, D., Psomadakis, C.E., Buka, B. (2017). Arthropod Bites. In: Top 50 Dermatology Case Studies for Primary Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18627-6_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18627-6_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-18626-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-18627-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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